Snowplow



March 7, 1933.

C. H, FRINK SNOWPLOW Filed May 6, 1932 Patented Mar. 7, 1933 CARI H. FRINK, OF CLAYTON; NEW YORK SNOWBIOW Application filed May 6; 1932. Serial No. 609,679.

This invention relates to snow plows of the class set forth in my Patents No. 1,589,748 dated June 22nd, 1926 and No. 1,794,070 dated February 24th, 193l, and in my pending application Serial No. 489,983

filed October th, 1930 in which the plow and its supporting frame are adapted to be mountedupon or attached to the front end of the chassis frame of a motor truck to be propelled thereby ahead of the truck.

These plows are preferably provided with rearwardly diverging moldboards arranged at equal angles to and at opposite sidesof the longitudinal center of the truck for dis- 5 placing the snow to opposite sides. of the roadway as the" machine is propelled forwardly at greater or less speed, depending upon-the depth and other conditions-of the snow.

These machines are found to be highly efficient in the expeditious and economical removal of snow under practically alloonditions, but obviously may be operated with r greater speed in the removal of light snow even though the latter may be of considerable depth but when driven at high speed the snowis liable to be driven over the top of the moldboards and against the windshieldand other parts of the machine at the rear of the plow unless some provision is madefor preventing this objectionablera sult. 0 0 Furthermore, it is well knownthat in many instances, particularly when the plow is propelled forwardly at a relatively high speed, the snow displaced thereby will be piledup in drifts along opposite sides of the roadbed so that subsequent snow storms or winds,- transversely of the drifts formed by the snow plows, results in the formation of additional drifts or accumulations of snow in thepreviously plowed roadbed due to the reduced wind velocity at the leeward side of the driftsformed by the snow plows.

. ject forwardly or rearwardly from the up:

per edges of their respective moldboards according to the condition ofthesnow.

For example, if the snow is relatively light, even though of considerable depth, the

deflector plates may be adjusted to project forwardly from the upper edges of the re spective moldboards to partially overhang the same so that when the machine is driven forwardly at a correspondingly higher speed, the resultant upward thrust of the snow across the moldboard will be limited by the deflector plates which will then serve to further deflect the snow laterally and outwardly considerable distances to the outside of the ro'adbed and over. correspondingly large areas, thereby obviating, the formation of drifts along opposite sides of the roadway, and incidentally reducing theliability of formation of drifts in the previously plowed roadway.

On the other hand, if the snow is of excessive depth or weight requiring a corresponding reductionin the speed of operation of the truck, the deflecting platesmay be adjusted to project rearwardly from the upper edges of the respective moldboards, thereby reducing the resistance to the upward and lateral thrust-of the snow, and permitting the plow to function in the usual manner. 0

Another object is to provide means for rigidly holding thedeflector plates in their operative positions and also to permit the plates tobe easily and quickly adjusted to their inoperative orrearwardlyprojecting positions without disconnecting them from thevmoldboards or supporting frame. A further object is to make the deflector plates of gradually increasing widths from their inner ends toward their outer ends so that when adjusted to their operative positions, the outer ends will be considerably wider than their inner ends to assure the deflection of the snow over a wide area at the outer sides of the roadbed.

. Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will be brought out in the following description. In the drawing v Figure l is a front end view of a snow plow equipped with my improved deflector plates in their inoperative positions.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same plow showing one of the deflector plates in its operative position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3, Figure 1, showing the deflector plate in its operative position and the toggle connections between said plate and the supporting frame for the moldboard.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in top plan, taken along the line 44, Figure 3, portions of the moldboard, deflector plate and frame being broken away.

As illustrated, the snow plow comprises a pair of similar rearwardly diverging mold boards 1 mounted upon a suitable sup porting frame 2- so as to extend rearwardly at equal angles to the longitudinal center of the machine, the frame 2 being adapted to be mounted upon or attached to the front end of a motor truck, not shown, but in a manner somewhat similar to that shown in my patents and pending application referred to. p

The moldboards 1 are concave-convex in cross section and are arranged with their concave sides facing forwardly, the lower edges of the moldboards being provided with scraper blades 3 adapted to travel along and in close proximity to the road surface.

The upper edges of the moldboards are returned inwardly and downwardly to form angular reinforcing flanges 4- which serve the double purpose of stiffening the moldboards and also for supporting a pair of similar but reversely arranged deflector plates 5, one for each moldboard, the moldboards and deflector plates being preferably made of heavy sheet steel or equivalent material capable of withstanding the strains to which they are subjected.

These deflector plates 5 are of approximately the same length as the upper edges of their respective moldboards and are tapered from end to end and arranged with their wider ends outermost, the opposite longitudinal edges of each deflector plate being provided with lengthwise reinforcing flanges G- and 7 projecting upwardly and rearwardly therefrom, the inner or lower flanges -6 being somewhat wider than the opposite flanges 7 and correspond approximately to the widths and lengths of the adjacent flanges 4 to which they are attached.

That is, the inner edge of the flange 6 of each plate is hinged at- 8 to the inner edge of the adjacent flange +1, as shown more clearly in Figures 3 and l, so that when the deflector plate is adjusted for use its inner flange 6 will rest flatwise against and upon the upper face of the adjacent flange as shown in Figure 8,

the sections of the hinges being spot-welded or otherwise secured respectively to the flanges -i-.-- and The upper portions of the moldboards i are deflected forwzn'dl'y at a consider able angle from a vertical while the major portions of the flanges -l are disposed at approxiinatel v right angles to the adjacent portions of the moldboards.

The flanges 6 of the deflector plates -:'T are disposed at obtuse angles to the major portions of the plates so that when the latter are adjusted for use they will project forwardly from the upper edges of their respective moldboards atacute angles to horizontal planes, thereby serving continuatiens of the moldinalrds for limiting the upward thrust of the snow from the moldboards and deflecting the same laterally and outwardly beyond the roadbed aided by the gradually increasing widths of the blades from the inner-to their outer ends.

Each of the deflector plates 5 is provided with an upwardly and inwardly projecting bracket -h-, spot welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the upper face thereof between the flanges and -7, when adjusted for use.

A toggle member l() is pivoted at one end at 1l to the upper inner end of the bracket 5) and has its other end pivoted at 1Q- to a companion toggle member l2-l which, in turn. is pivoted at -llto a bracket -l5F-- on the frame Q- some distance to the rear of the upper edge of the moldboar gl l--, as shown more clearly in Figures 23 and 4-.

The toggle member "13- extends some distance beyond the pivot 12- toward the bracket 9- in overlapping relation to the adjacent end of the toggle member -lO-, said extension being provided with an aperture or apertures adapted to register with asimilar aperture in the link 10 when the toggle is straightened for receiving a locking pin 16 by which the toggle members -10 and l3 may be firmly held in their straightened )osition for holding the corresponding deflector plate -5 in its operative position.

The locking pin l6- is attached to the member 10 by a flexible connection or chain 17 and is held against accidental displacement by a cotter pin 18-, the connection 1'T serving to support the locking pin when withdrawn from the toggle members as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3, and having its other end secured at 17- by spot-wehling or other means to the toggle member lO-. Figure t will be noted upon reference to Figures 3 and at. that the pivotal connection -12- between the toggle members -10 and --l3- is located approximately midway between the pivots l1- and l l-, while the locking pin -16- is located substantially midway between the pivots1l and --12 so that when the locking pin is removed the toggle members -10 and -13-- may be flexed upwardly at the joint, thus permitting the deflector plate -5 to be rocked upwardly and inwardly about its pivot '8- and to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 3.

The toggle member 13 preferably consists of two parallel links which are spaced apart transversely to receive the adjacent portion of the member -10- and are connected across the top by a cross bar 13 rigidly secured thereto by electric welding or otherwise substantially midway between the bolts 12 and -16 to form a stop for engaging the upper edge of the adjacent portion of the member 10- and thereby limiting the downward flexing movement of the toggle to a substantially straightened position and incidentally alining the aper tur'es for the locking bolt 16 to permit the latter to be easily inserted and removed.

Each of the brackets 15- is secured by bolts -15- or equivalent fastening means to the frame 2- to form a part thereof for supporting the adjacent end of the toggle member -l3.

Operation hen the deflector plates 5 are ad justed for use, the flanges 6 will be brought into engagement with the adjacent flanges 4- of the moldboards 1, said flanges forming cooperative stops for limiting the forwardly swinging movement of the respective deflector plates at which time the corresponding toggle members 10 and 13 will have been straightened whereupon the locking pins -16 will be inserted in their registering openings in the members -10 and -13- for locking the corresponding deflector plates in their operative positions, it being understood that the toggles then form rigid brace connections between the brackets 9 and 15.

These deflector plates are preferably adjusted to project outwardly from the upper edges of their respective moldboards and locked in those positions when it is desired to propel the plow under relatively high speed, as for example, in the removal of light snow, in which case the deflector plates form continuations of the moldboards and serve to deflect the snow from the upper portions of the moldboards laterally with an accelerated motion suflicient to distribute the snow more or less evenly to opposite sides of the roaclbed and at the same time to prevent the passage of the snow over the tops of the moldboards onto the windshield and other portions of the vehicle.

lVhen the plow is being used to clearthe roa-dbed of heavier snow, it will, of course,

be propelled at a slower rate of speed withpacking against the undersides of the deflector plates.

When it is desired to fold the deflector plates -5- inwardly, it is simply necessary to remove the locking pin -16 and then. to flex the toggle arms upwardly by hand or otherwise, aided by upward and inward pressure upon the deflector blades untilthe flanges 7 of said plates are brought into engagement with the outer edges of the then folded toggle members 10, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3, at whichtime the deflector plates will be adjusted wholly to the inside of the upper edges of the respective moldboards with the brackets '9- extending downwardly therefrom, as shown by dotted lines in Fig- 7 ure 3", it being understood that the weight of the plates against the toggle members 10 assist in holding the plates in their inoperative positions, owing tothe fact that they will then be wholly at the inside of their respective pivots 8.

It will be noted that one of the links as l'3 of each toggle is composed of two members arranged in parallel spaced relation for receiving between them the adjacent end of the link 10, the object of which is togive greater strength to the toggle and less shearing resistance upon the locking pin -16 and pivotal bolts 12- and-14 Each of the deflector plates 5- is preferably supported upon the upper edge of its corresponding moldboard by a plurality of, in this instance three, hinges '8-, suitably spaced lengthwise of the plate to afford ample support for said plate when adjusted for use.

It is evident, however,,that other means maybe provided for attaching the deflector plates .to the moldboards in such manner as to permit said plates to be moved to and from their OPGIatiXQ positions without disconnecting them from the moldboards and that other changes may be made in the detail construction of the various parts of the plow and deflector plates without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

lVhat I claim is; i

1. In a snow plow, a moldboard and a supporting frame therefore, in combination with a deflector plate hinged to the upper edge of the moldboard to swing forwardly and rearwardly relatively thereto, and means for holding said plate in its for- "ardly projecting position, the moldboard and plate being provided with cooperative stops for limiting the forward movement of the plate.

2. In a snow plow, a moldboard and a supporting frame therefor, in combination with av deflector plate hinged to the upper edge of the nioldboard to swing forwardly and rearwardly relatively thereto, and toggle connections between the frame and plate adapted to straighten when the plate is moved forwardly for holding said plate in its forwardly projecting position.

3. In a snow plow, a moldboard and a supporting frame therefor, in combination with a deflector plate hinged to the upper edge of the moldboard to swing forwardly and rearwardly relatively thereto, and toggle connections between the frame and plate adapted to straighten when the plate is moved forwardly for holding said plate in its forwardly projecting position, and means for locking the toggle in its straightened position to prevent flexing thereof.

a. 111 a snow plow, a moldboard and a supporting frame therefor, in combination with a deflector plate hinged to the upper edge of the moldboard to swing forwardly and rearwardly relatively thereto, and toggle connections between the frame and plate adapted to straighten when the plate is moved forwardly for holding said plate in its forwardly projecting position, said plate having its free edge adapted to abut against one of the toggle members when moved to its rearwardly projecting position for limiting said movement.

5. A snow plow comprising a frame, rearwardly diverging moldboards mounted 011 the frame, plates hinged to the upper edges of the moldboards to swing forwardly and rearwardly therefrom, and toggle connections between each plate and frame adapted to straighten when the plate is rocked forwardly for holding said plate in its adjusted position.

6. A snow plow comprising a frame, rearwardly diverging moldboards mounted on the frame, plates hinged to the upper edges of the moldboards to swing forwardly and rearwardly therefrom, and toggle connections between each plate and frame adapted to straighten when the plate is rocked forwardly for holding said plate in its adjusted position, each toggle having releasable means for looking it in its straightened position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of April 1932.

CARL H. FRINK. 

